Former Georgia quarterback Larry Rakestraw dies

Photo by Philip Williams/UGA

Credit: Philip Williams

Credit: Philip Williams

Photo by Philip Williams/UGA

Former Georgia quarterback Larry Rakestraw died Sunday in Suwanee. He was 77.

Rakestraw was a Georgia quarterback from 1961-63 before playing in the NFL. Rakestraw was drafted in 1964 by the Chicago Bears of the NFL and the Oakland Raiders of the AFL -- and he played three seasons with the Bears.

The highlight of his Georgia career was his game against Miami in 1963 when he passed for 407 yards (25-of-38) to set a Georgia record that stood for 30 years and has been surpassed only 12 times in the past 55 seasons, by only four quarterbacks.

Rakestraw ranks ninth all-time in career pass attempts among Georgia quarterbacks.

Rakestraw, who was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2010, was a graduate of the old West Fulton High School.